


Charcoal

by starboydjh



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Retail, Art School, Fluff, M/M, THIS ISN'T BETA-ED, art student, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 08:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9314150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starboydjh/pseuds/starboydjh
Summary: Dan gets lost in the art store, Cute Employee With Glasses (ie Phil) comes to his rescue.Third place winner in the Best Drabble category in the 2017 Phanfic awards!





	

**Author's Note:**

> I went to the art store yesterday to buy stuff for this semester and was hopelessly lost for a while. Unfortunately I did not have a Phil to come rescue me like Dan does in this story. Also before anyone says anything I know Dan was a law student but I can see him being a film person so that's what we’re doing for this fic okay

Dan realized he was in over his head when he was standing in the aisle of drawing supplies with his list in his hand, staring at the wall of sketchpads with a blank expression. He was a film student, he had no idea why he needed to take an elective like drawing, he wasn’t even good at drawing, but it was the only class with a time slot that worked for the rest of his schedule and it was his last elective that he needed to burn off. He didn’t even want to go back to university this year, he’d had a slight mental breakdown at the end of his second year which made him feel like he was wasting his time, he could be doing so much more with his life than just studying for exams and going to class every day. But his parents insisted that he stick it out for another year, and if he really didn’t want to continue he’d leave school and find a job at the end of year three. So, here he was, taking stupid electives and slowly wasting time until his death or graduation day, whichever came first. 

He figured he’d made a mistake as soon as he made it to the art supply store and grabbed a trolley at the front of the store. The store was decked out with Valentine’s day and St. Patrick’s day decorations right at the front, and he wasn’t even sure where to begin to look for the drawing stuff. Even still, he decided to loop the store a few times trying to make it look like he knew what he was doing. 

Phil kept an eye on the cute brunette boy with the wide eyes and good fashion sense as he wandered the store. There had been a lot of university students lately coming in to buy stuff for their classes, there was a college just down the road from the art supply store he worked at, and he’d been helping a lot of people find the things on their mile long lists handed to them by their professors. It was clear that Cute Brunette was out of his depth, and when he had stopped by the jewelry making section, Phil felt he needed to help.

“Hi, you look a bit confused, can I help you out?” Phil asked, making the boy jump slightly. He was even more beautiful up close, a few freckles dotting his slightly tanned skin and his eyes a deep, rich shade of brown that matched his hair. 

“Is it that obvious that I’m completely lost?” The boy said with a slight laugh, carding his fingers through his hair. “I’m taking drawing this semester and I need to find all this stuff.” He showed Phil the list and he knew exactly where everything was. 

“Here, follow me, that’s over on the other side of the store.” As Dan followed the adorable employee who’d come to his rescue, his eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to where the Buffy lanyard was hanging from the back pocket of his black jeans. 

“So here’s the aisle of the drawing stuff, can you take it from here?” Adorable Employee asked, adjusting his thick black glasses in the process. It took Dan a couple seconds to respond but he nodded and fumbled through some kind of response that yes, he could find what he needed. The employee’s name tag said Phil, which suited him, Dan thought. After Phil smiled at him and turned around and left, Dan turned his attention back to his list of supplies. That was when he found himself in the unfortunate situation of trying to locate the exact things he needed, down to the brand specified on the packet of paper in his hand. A half an hour later, he was finally done, he’d found everything he needed and it was all horribly overpriced but at this point he was desperate to get out of the store. 

“So, drawing class, huh?” Phil asked, making conversation with Cute Brunette as he rang up the stuff he was buying. 

“Yeah, I’m a film student but I need an elective to balance out my schedule so why not?” Dan said with a shrug and a little laugh that made two adorable dimples appear. “I’m Dan by the way. I was so stressed out back there I never introduced myself.” When everything was said and done, the total for all of Dan’s art supplies came out to around £120, and he paled a little at the cost as he swiped his card. 

“Are you in the Wednesday night class?” Phil asked. Dan nodded.

“How’d you know?” 

“We get a schedule of all the art classes at the uni down the road so we know what to stock. But, would you maybe like to go out for dinner with me next Wednesday before your class?” Phil asked as he printed Dan his receipt, a hopeful smile on his face.

Dan’s smile lit up his face as well. “Yeah, sure, I’d love that.” Phil’s smile spread further as he grabbed a pen and scribbled down his phone number on the back of the receipt and handed it back to Dan. 

So maybe staying in university for another year had its perks. Even if the only perk right now was a date with a cute guy.


End file.
